Skip to site content Skip to main menu

Tell us whether you accept cookies

Published: 11 April 2024
Martyn Evans, Chair of the SPA sitting at a desk inside an office building.

Author:

Martyn Evans

Chair

On 10 April, Police Scotland published data in relation to the introduction of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 which came into force on 1 April 2024. The Scottish Police Authority has responded to the data publication detailing reports made in the first week of the new legislation.

The management data shows there were 7152 online hate reports received from 1 April to 7 April, 2024. During this period 240 hate crimes and 30 non-crime hate incidents were recorded.

The vast majority of reports received during this period were anonymous. These were assessed against the new legislation and no further action is being taken.

Martyn Evans, Chair of the Scottish Police Authority said: 

“The Scottish Police Authority has been closely monitoring Police Scotland’s preparedness for the new Hate Crime legislation that came into force on 1 April 2024. We have also been tracking the public debate and interest over recent weeks.

“At our Authority meeting last month, we were clear that evidence and data would be key to understanding Police Scotland’s response to this. While the data published is an early snapshot, the numbers do indicate that Police Scotland has sought to proportionately police this new legislation.

“The sizeable number of reports made in the first week did not translate to a crime or an incident suggests confusion of what constitutes a hate crime. It is reassuring that volumes have reduced following the first few days. Beyond these initial few days, Police Scotland has confirmed to the Authority that there has been no reduction on frontline policing, no material burden or additional workload for officers and contact centre staff.

“Tracking and analysing hate crime reports and the policing response over the coming weeks will show whether the trends on reporting and the current proportionate policing assessment are confirmed.

“Police Scotland will publish these figures weekly. The Authority expects Police Scotland’s communications approach to continue be driven by the evidence and data collected and reported.”

 


More insights by the author

Martyn Evans, Chair of the SPA sitting at a desk inside an office building.

Policing budget facing "substantial shortfall"

Published: 05 September 2022

Martyn Evans, Chair of the SPA sitting at a desk inside an office building.

Children in Police Custody

Published: 25 November 2022

Martyn Evans, Chair of the SPA sitting at a desk inside an office building.

Scottish Government 2023-24 Budget

Published: 22 December 2022

Martyn Evans, Chair of the SPA sitting at a desk inside an office building.

Women in Policing Conference 2023

Published: 20 March 2023

Martyn Evans, Chair of the SPA sitting at a desk inside an office building.

A decade of Police Reform

Published: 05 April 2023

Martyn Evans, Chair of the SPA sitting at a desk inside an office building.

Additional £87.6m for policing in 2024/25

Published: 19 December 2023

Martyn Evans, Chair of the SPA sitting at a desk inside an office building.

New Year Message

Published: 11 January 2024

Martyn Evans, Chair of the SPA sitting at a desk inside an office building.

Martyn Evans, Chair

Published: 20 June 2024


Related Content

Green icon representing a megaphone.

Police Scotland Weekly Hate Crime Report - 10 April 2024

Green icon representing a megaphone.

Scottish Government Hate Crime Fact Sheet

Green icon representing a megaphone.

ITEM 3.4.2 HMICS Assurance Review Of Hate Crime

Green icon representing a megaphone.

ITEM 3.6 HMICS Assurance Review Of Hate Crime (621) Police Scotland Improvement Update

Green icon representing a megaphone.

21 March 2024

Published: 24 September 2024

Green icon representing a megaphone.

6 December 2023

Published: 30 March 2024